My mate messaged me last night and stated that I had already made my mind up about these Newcastle United owners, saying I was really blinkered to the point that I am ignoring any positive news.
OK, so I have whined on about this a lot in the comments sections of various Mag articles. Especially in the last 12 months.
In my defence, I am not that extreme, but there are some issues we need to address regarding Newcastle United owners.
Firstly, I would never want to go back to the Mike Ashley days, primarily because we had no hope. It was just the bare minimum effort when we were comfortable that we would never go bust. Any good player would be sold and then we would gamble on five French players to replace them. Or the odd free transfer. Anyone remember Kuqi being a replacement for Andy Carroll?
With regards to the current Newcastle United owners, the 85% majority Saudi Arabia PIF ownership, let’s get one thing straight. Money is not a problem with this lot.
Outside of any PSR limitation the Saudi Arabia PIF owners have more financial muscle than any other ownership scheme outside of Real Madrid. And Real get lots of support from unknown areas of national administration that we could only dream of. If Leazes Park was in Madrid then there would be no planning debates.
Any improvements to infrastructure are not subject to PSR. The money spent to improve the current training ground is a positive but let’s be clear, it is small change to PIF, it is the small change down the back of the sofa. Still nothing official announced about actual plans on building a new training ground.
They have replaced the pitch at St James’ Park. That’s great, but Mike Ashley also did that, invested in that weird lighting rig that Queen would have taken on The Magic Tour in 86.
The recent stadium improvements like fire doors and improved food outlets are great but hardly life changing.
The purchase of a significant part of Leazes Terrace was out of the blue. But why?
My challenge to the Newcastle United owners is this:
What is the plan? Please let us fans know. I mean, we only follow the club through thick and thin, pay money to watch and listen and generally invest our emotional strength. Why? Because it is part of our upbringing and culture.
Clubs like Man Utd and Birmingham have released designs of stadia in order to communicate with fans. We have nothing. The building of a new stadium is not linked to PSR yet the richest owners in world football are searching for minority investment. Why? I don’t know if it is good or bad. I am a nurse not a businessman. All the promises and build up of expectation seems to have been muted in the last 24 months.
What is the plan with buying Leazes Terrace? How does it impact on the club?
We were forced to sell young players in Anderson and Minteh to avoid PSR infringement punishments. Why did we end up in that situation?
Why have we gone through two directors of football to end up with Ross Wilson. I have no issue with him but what went wrong with the other two?
What do PIF want in the long term? NUFC being successful for the area and fans doesn’t add up for a foreign country to invest in a club. They have no links here. Is it about expansion? Are we just a tool in a bigger building project?
Spending a few quid here and there on training grounds and new fire doors at St James’ Park means nothing. A full business plan and better communication would be more productive. Our current CEO David Hopkinson has made a number of statements that have been ridiculed and he clearly has no idea about the nature of the core fanbase.
How about a fan conference where the Newcastle United owners present their plan? The Irish club, Morpeth Social Club, Eldon Square, I don’t care. Just give us a clue. Give us a chance to ask questions and clarify points.
OK I don’t like our great club being owned by a state that has no links to the area. I don’t like the lack of connection to the fanbase, the lifeblood of the club. However, I am willing to give them a chance if they can enlighten me as to why they are here. I don’t have an agenda nor am I blinkered.
I’m just in the dark.